Mary Lattimore: A Story of Silver Ladders
Have you ever thought what would happen if you didn’t take that train one day? Or called in sick to work instead of going in? Perhaps that friend who organised a lunch couldn’t make it and so cancelled. In this case, I wonder what might’ve happened if harpist Mary Lattimore from Los Angeles had not performed at the festival that introduced her to Slowdive and Mojave 3’s Neil Halstead. It would be this meeting that would form the outcome for Lattimore’s latest album ‘Silver Ladders’.
Image Credit: Rachael Pony Cassells
Mary Lattimore is a prolific composer, in addition to her collections ‘The Withdrawing Room’, ‘At The Dam’, ‘Collected Pieces’ and ‘Hundreds Of Days’, her bandcamp page is full of pieces of music not available on these albums ranging from three minutes in length to beyond twenty. She has completed collaborative albums too in ‘Slant Of Light’ with long-time associate Jeff Zeigler, ‘Ghost Forests’ with Meg Baird and ‘New Rain Duets’ with Mac McCaughan. Outside of these larger works, Mary Lattimore has also recorded and performed with Kurt Vile, Sharon Van Etten and Jarvis Cocker. Most recently, after the release of her Silver Ladders album, Lattimore has already released two new tracks entitled ‘Hold Your Breath’ and ‘A Unicorn Catches A Falling Star In Heaven’.
‘Pine Trees’ begins immediately with rhythmic plucking from Mary Lattimore. The sound is soothing, there is light reverb, perhaps even another harp overdub as it bounces around the stereo field. Translucent synth accompaniment comes from Neil Halstead as Lattimore strums another harp to your right. The title of the piece triggers a thought of walking through the woods, looking up at the canopy, perhaps the sky is grey, but calm. A fade-out extends the thought on forever more.
The title track begins with a melody on the harp that almost sounds familiar. I’m unsure if those bassier tones are Lattimore or Halstead. In Mary Lattimore making the choice to go with Neil Halstead as her producer for this record, she journeyed to Newquay in Cornwall, a far-cry from Los Angeles, that’s for sure. Halstead’s influence is obvious on this track, with the increasing reverb and atmospheric sounds reminiscent of the Slowdive records that Mary Lattimore is a fan of. Word on the street is that a new Slowdive record is coming soon, so stay tuned.
‘Til A Mermaid Drags You Under’ might well be inspired by the surfers that frequent the region it was recorded in. Halstead himself is a keen surfer. Elements of electric guitar can be heard here in unnerving tones, Lattimore’s harp is straight down the centre with the guitars either side. I’m reminded of the music of Gustavo Santaolalla, whose work can be heard in the soundtracks for ‘The Last Of Us’ and the Netflix revelation ‘Making A Murderer’. Mary Lattimore’s twinkling playing could well be the stars over the water as tides routinely graze the shores inwards and outwards. Despite being the longest track on Silver Ladders, time is immaterial, inapplicable to composing marvels like this one.
Image Credit: Rachael Pony Cassells
‘Sometimes He’s In My Dreams’ is the perfect title for this song. One of the things I love about Mary Lattimore’s music is how the title evokes an image in your mind. Much like the previous composition, this one also features complimentary guitar playing from Neil Halstead. The two work together with Lattimore taking the higher notes on harp, whilst Halstead’s playing is more mid-range. As Halstead’s playing fades out, it leaves the beauty of the harp in isolation. I can only imagine how moving this would be to hear in person.
‘Chop On The Climbout’ begins differently with synth opening the proceedings, multiple layers that have the uncanny ability to sound like one unified instrument. Mary’s harp is plucked in small bursts, with delay and reverb extending their existence, filling the gaps between them. The distorted noise, almost sounding like the single engine of a bi-plane, is the only dissonance across the whole record. As it progresses, it morphs into a particularly harsh wind, battering the outside of a small hut in vast open space. The sound then climbs in frequency, this is the only time it truly sounds like it was conceived in a recording studio – and that is where Chop On the Climbout ends.
I love how you can hear the buzz of the strings at the start of ‘Don’t Look’. The solo harp is refreshing after the harsher conditions of the previous track. Some of the lower notes here have an electric piano quality that I can’t quite explain. It almost certainly isn’t electric piano, and is definitely harp – what I mean is that the sonic palette of the harp is rich. I’ll never tire of hearing it. Halstead contributes guitar and synth, though in a more minimalistic way than he has previously. The vibrating of the low harp strings is curious, like something was pressed up to it to vibrate against. Mary Lattimore’s playing towards the end of Don’t Look makes the harp sound like droplets of water falling into a bowl already half-filled.
Silver Ladders is completed with the track ‘Thirty Tulips’. Mary Lattimore uses the sound of the delay to create a rhythm with her playing, while soft atmospherics are played on keyboard from Neil Halstead. Thirty Tulips is another example of Lattimore placing an image in your head – she is as much a storyteller as she is a musician, weaving a story you didn’t know you had in your mind using her music as your soundtrack. A very powerful tool that makes this album a special one indeed, helped by the compelling artwork from Becky Suss, whose paintings Lattimore has used before in her solo works.
Image Credit: Rachael Pony Cassells
The creation of this album to me is a fascinating one. Two worlds colliding that produce a brilliant piece of art. I’m pleased to say my Q&A with Mary Lattimore sheds more light on the recording process for Silver Ladders, how it was to work with Neil Halstead in his studio, and Lattimore’s own experience in Cornwall during her time there.
1. Your new album 'Silver Ladders' features seven exceptional pieces of music. What made you decide this would be the album title?
The album title is based on a trip I took to Stari Grad, a tiny town on the island of Hvar in Croatia. I knew that this would be the title long before we made the record. I was so struck by the beauty of the sea there and the silver ladders that were leading right down into the water. The whole town was swimming and floating. I thought the memory needed a song.
2. You travelled to Newquay in Cornwall to record 'Silver Ladders'! What was your experience in Cornwall like over that week or so outside of the album sessions?
I fell in love with Cornwall. I'd never been and my best friend, the lovely musician Meg Baird, told me I should watch a TV show called Poldark in preparation! Neil and I laughed about this because my first impression of Cornwall was from this very sweepingly romantic, over-the-top series. When I arrived into the Newquay airport, the little plane was shaking in the wind and it was a bit harrowing, but Neil was there to pick me up and we went and grabbed an afternoon beer and some lunch and he took me to my little fisherman's cottage Air Bnb. Over the ten days, I hung out with Neil's partner Ingrid and all of their friends, was on the pub quiz team, had tea and scones at the hotel from the movie The Witches, visited St. Ives and the Barbara Hepworth studio. It was just terrific. It rained a lot and felt very moody and put me in the right mental place to make the record.
3. You worked with Neil Halstead on this album, what was it like to work with him in his studio?
It was so much fun, two new friends making something. His studio was cozy, on an old airfield, which felt remote but necessary for getting into the zone. He has a lot of cool synths and I got to see some of the gear in the closet that he used for Slowdive records, which was really cool, as I'm a big fan. Neil's got a great ear and we really got along. I hope it happens again.
4. You took three existing demos to Neil Halstead to be reworked. One was the title track, but what were the other two? Were there more demos you decided not to record for this album?
No, I just took these three songs - Chop on the Climbout was basically finished but needed the guitar part redone (I'm terrible at the guitar!) and some tweaking. The other one was Pine Trees, which needed some layers taken off and to be kind of simplified. We joked that it seemed very Poldark theme-song before the layers came off and the essence of the song was found. I think I'd watched too much tv while making it!
5. The other four songs are improvisational pieces, is it the case that what the listener hears is what you both improvised or did they evolve from jams that you then worked harder on after the fact?
Nope, I just took some time in the studio to just play, while Neil sat in the control room and pressed record. I just kinda went to some different places and then he chopped them up into songs and we added overdubs. The purity of the improvisation is there in all of those songs.
6. Nine days is an incredible turnaround for any album, looking back, do you think you could've used more time to record or were the nine days enough?
The nine days didn't include extra days Neil took for mixing. I think the five days of tracking and 4 days of mixing together was enough. Felt right. I liked having the time limit with the harp and that time constraint because it made us work faster and more purposefully. It was perfect.
7. Of course your lead instrument is the harp. Was there just one recorded on this album, or are there multiple models?
Yes, good ear! The three I recorded at home were on my Lyon and Healy style 30 with the Dusty Strings pickup and the four I recorded in Cornwall were recorded on a rented harp with my travel pickup. When listening, I can't tell much of a difference in quality, but it's true, there were two different harps.
8. You're actually a fan of Neil's - is there a favourite piece of his for you?
I love Slowdive's records and it's really hard for me to pick a favorite record or song. Maybe Catch the Breeze from Just for a Day? Maybe Crazy for You from Pygmalion? Maybe Machine Gun from Souvlaki? I dunno, I love it all.
9. The artwork for 'Silver Ladders' is beautiful! Is there a story behind the front cover?
I've used paintings by my friend Becky Suss for all of my solo records and one duo record and these paintings are huge, almost life-sized. This one is based on a description from a children's book called Cheaper By the Dozen. The family in the story has a lighthouse that the kids play in and this is what she envisioned it looking like. I think this painting brings together the coziness with a little bit of claustrophobia and escape from the outside world.
10. You've collaborated with other artists before, but is there a dream collaboration you'd love to make?
My favorite band is the Cure and I'd love to have Robert Smith sing on a song of mine. I'm sure a billion people say that. But I think it'd sound so hauntingly beautiful.
11. Having performed concerts across the globe, is there one in particular that really sticks out to you?
I played in a James Turrell Skyspace in Chestnut Hill near Philadelphia and that was amazing. It was a light installation that interacted with the sunset, so everyone was lying down and I was improvising for an hour. I found it to be so magical. He's one of my favorite visual artists.
12. For a lot of people growing up, harp is not always the most obvious choice as an instrument to learn, what set you on the path to learning harp originally?
My mom is a harpist, so I grew up around harps and harpists. I started learning when I was 11 years old and have been learning ever since.
13. And is there an instrument you've always wanted to play, but have never had the time to learn?
I'd love to get better at the guitar. I've been trying but it does not come naturally. I'm gonna keep on plugging away at it, though!
14. With much of the world in turmoil, was it ever discussed between you and Neil Halstead about performing this album together live?
Yes, we'd talked about touring a little bit in California, which I think was especially appealing for Neil because he's a surfer. Hopefully someday we can play this music live and all hang out together once again!
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To purchase Mary Lattimore’s ‘Silver Ladder’ and her other works, visit her bandcamp page here.
For more information about the paintings of Becky Suss, view some of her works on the Jack Shainman gallery.
Follow Mary Lattimore on facebook @harpistmarylattimore, @maryoverthere on instagram and on twitter @marylattimore.
